Topbike Tours - European Cycling Holiday Specialists

David Olle and Emma Colson

An Australian company, Topbike has a fully equipped European base and its own fleet of high quality hire bikes and E-bikes.

We specialise in quality cycling tours with small groups and are famous for looking after our clients.

+61 415 866 061 (mobile)
Grant Street, FORREST VIC 3236 AUSTRALIA
holiday@topbike.com.au
- SINCE 1997 -

Tour of Sicily 2023

May 21-29
Palermo → Cefalù

9 days (8 nights) fully supported, mostly off the tourist route where possible, riding up to 115k a day, but not every day. We will ride a 40/60 coastal/inland route, including a two-night visit to the Aeolian island of Lipari. We use an excellent combination of traditional restaurants and unique accommodation, in all locations.

With a Palermo start, and a finish in the historic northern Mediterranean coastal town of Cefalu, we will ride an anti-clockwise loop around Sicilia.

We’ll be stopping over at the towns of Roccamena, Agrigento, Caltagirone, Milazzo and Lipari. Plenty of great coffee, gelato and many other Sicilian treats to be enjoyed en route too.

Tour of Sicily Cycling holidays in Italy with Topbike Tours

2023 Tour Price: $6850
(AUD) (Per Person)

Tour of Sicily
- 'Eat-Drink-Ride'
Palermo - Cefalù

2023 Tour Price: $6850 (AUD) (per person)

Group size will be limited to 8, with 2 staff

Rides will average 70-90k, along with >1000m vertical, per day. There are occasional steep gradients and some longer climbs along with some undulations.

Accommodation & Dining

We use an excellent combination of traditional restaurants and unique accommodation, in all locations. In Sicily, the food is the best of Italian cuisine. A proud heritage which even the northerners agree on. The Sicilians are very warm and welcoming to visitors and love the opportunity to host guests. En-route there will be plenty of great coffee stops, gelato (in a bun), roadside picnics and many other Sicilian treats to be enjoyed.

9 Days/8 Nights
May 21–29 2023+ *
  • Destination

  • Tour Start / Finish

    Palermo - Cefalù
  • Pick Up

    May 21 - Pickup: 11:00am Piazza Giulio Cesare, Palermo Centrale Railway Station
  • Drop Off

    May 29 - Drop off: 12 noon Cefalù Railway Station
  • Cycling Fitness/Experience

    Any + E-Bikes Available
1

Sunday May 21 2023: Day 1 | Palermo

11am: Pick up Piazza Giulio Cesare, Palermo Centrale Railway Station
Once we’ve picked everyone up at the station, we’ll transfer by car to our Agriturismo outside Roccamena. After ‘check-in’ is complete, we will have a picnic on the ‘Terrazza’ while we complete bike set up, etc. After lunch we’ll head out for a 45k ride, to spin the legs out, and ease the travel stiffness while checking all equipment.

Accommodation

Rural Agriturismo.

Dining

Excellent inhouse Ristorante, traditional cuisine.

Ride: 45km loop, <1000m vertical

Terrain: Lots of little meandering peaks.

2

Monday May 22: Day 2 | Ponte Calatrasi to Agrigento, via Corleone

Leaving Ponte Calatrasi we have a solid inland route to Agrigento on the coast, where the road cycling world championships were held in 1994. More recently, in 2008, the Giro d’Italia finished a stage here, after starting in Cefalu.
There are seven small peaks to cover today, and as we get closer to Agrigento, the roads get bigger, wider and faster, so stopping before Agrigento is recommended. We’ll stop for coffee in Corleone, and a picnic in Santo Stefano. Sweep point will be Raffadali.

Accommodation

B & B in central Agrigento

Dining

Local restaurant, walking distance

Ride: < 115km today, 2000m vertical ascent

Terrain:

3

Tuesday May 23: Day 3 | Agrigento to Agrigento

In a historic town it is a good opportunity to stay put, allowing more time to soak up Agrigento, with a scenic loop for the riders out to the west.
Our host may take anyone who’s interested on a walking tour of Agrigento, and its churches, if we can talk him into it. Later in the afternoon we may find time to wander the little cobbled streets of Agrigento, or maybe head off to visit the ‘Valley of Temples’, where seven monumental Greek temples in the Doric style were constructed during the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Now excavated and partially restored, they constitute some of the largest and best-preserved ancient Greek buildings outside of Greece itself. (They are listed as a World Heritage Site)
Dinner tonight, we’ll stroll the streets to an Enoteca for a pre-dinner drink, dinner at a local ristorante.

Accommodation

B & B in central Agrigento

Dining

local restaurant, walking distance

Ride: < 80k loop, < 1500m vertical

Terrain: Seven small (almost) insignificant climbs

4

Wednesday May 24: Day 4 | Agrigento to Caltagirone

Today we’ve got a 75k ride in front of us, so we’ll transport out of Agrigento to Delia. From here we’ll take the scenic inland route, through Sommatino, Riesi, stopping for a picnic lunch in Mazzarino before the afternoon’s final 25k into San Michele di Ganzaria. At San Michele we will rack the bikes and drive into Caltagirone

Accommodation

B & B in town centre

Dining

Inhouse home cooking, by our hosts

Ride: <75km, <1200m vertical

Terrain: Undulating parcours, all-day-long.

5

Thursday May 25: Day 5 | Caltagirone to Milazzo

We’re headed to Milazzo, and while today has been a rest day in the past, there’s a few other choices for us, and many different routes to get to Milazzo. More than likely we’ll drive to either Randazzo or Savoca (where the rural bar scenes from the Godfather were filmed in the 70’s) and if the riders are keen we’ll ride the final 70-80k over the range and along the coast into town, and our hotel on the port.

Accommodation

Dining

Ride:

Terrain:

6

Friday May 26 : Day 6 | Milazzo to Lipari

We’ll be up early for breakfast, before taking the 7am ferry to Lipari.
Arriving at 9, we’ll drive to our accommodation in central Lipari, check in, and start to check out Lipari town.
There is a good road on Lipari, and it makes a fine 25k loop. Now while this may not sound like much, in Topbike’s well travelled opinion, it is the best 25k loop in the world. So it'll be up to you to do as many laps as you wish, before dinner.
NB: There really is only one road on the Island, so if you do get lost, it will only be a short matter of time before you find yourself again. 500m of ascent per lap here, too.
Probably not too bad an idea to knock off by lunch time, to squeeze in a meal in town, a little exploratory walk, some time at the beach, or even a siesta!
Lipari (Sicilian: Lìpari, Latin: Lipara, Ancient Greek: Meligunis) is the largest of the Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily, and the name of the island's main town. It has a permanent population of 11,231; during the May–September tourist season, its population may reach up to 20,000.

Accommodation

Hotel in Lipari town.

Dining

Restaurant in the old port.

Ride: 25k with 500m ascent (x number of laps)

Terrain: Marvellous - 500m of ascent per lap here

7

Saturday May 27: Day 7 | Lipari to Lipari

Many, many options today. More laps of Lipari, a rest day, take a ferry to the active volcano island of Stromboli, day on the beach or by the hotel pool? Lunch overlooking the beach of Canneto, just a few kilometres from Lipari?
The agony of choice. The only appointment today will be dinner time… downtown Lipari, seaside.

Accommodation

Hotel in Lipari

Dining

Restaurant in the old port

.

8

Sunday May 28: Day 8 | Lipari to Cefalù

Our ferry back to the mainland of Sicily departs at 6.30am (TBC), so after an early start and quick breakfast, we’ll be down to the porto and onto our ferry, for a two hour cruise back to Milazzo.
Once on the mainland we’ll continue driving along the coast, maybe launching the bikes from a good café, once we’re under 105k to go, to Cefalù. As long as we keep the water to our right, we’ll run into Cefalù. Views, of the Mediterranean, all day long.
Cefalù is a city and comune in the province of Palermo, located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea about 70 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina. The town, with its population of just under 15,000, is one of the major tourist attractions in the region. Despite its size, every year it attracts millions of tourists from all parts of Sicily and also, from all over Italy and Europe. In summer the population can triple, making the main streets and major roads in the country crowded. There is then a youthful atmosphere and a lively nightlife.

Accommodation

Beachside 4 star hotel in Cefalù

Dining

Local Ristorante in the old part of town (walking distance).

Ride: 70-100k

Terrain: Beautiful coastal ride, , including a few minor hills.

9

Saturday May 29: Day 9 | Drop Off Day Cefalù

Arrivederci!.

After breakfast it's time to pack up the bikes and farewell all your mates. From Cefalu there is a train to either Palermo or Catania.
This tour includes the following:
  • 9 days, 8 nights: all breakfast, dinners and accommodation.
  • Ground transport in the Topbike air-conditioned van - back up vehicle on every ride (except the ‘Lipari loop’)
  • Railway Station pick up and drop off in the Topbike A/C van
  • Bars and drink supplements
  • Topbike Cycling kit
  • Topbike’s experienced guides and mechanical support.
  • Topbike poetry and great dinner conversation
  • (See Topbike Tours Inclusions)
NB: The itinerary above is to be used as a guide only, as Topbike Tours are well known for making use of all (and creating some extra) opportunities, expect that variations from the above can happen at any time.